If confirmed, themove will have comefour months after Scott Corporation bought Hawkins Road Transport to create the new unit.

The bulk and dangerous goods carrier bought the fuel and petroleum transporter in April to branch out into fuel distribution.

Only a handful of the 19 drivers at the Mackay site have been informed about the reduction, the union adds.

TWU North Queensland Regional Organiser Tom Pfund says workers were given no warning.

"Some of the drivers weren’t even told face-to-face," Pfund says.

"Those out on the road had to hear it second-hand through colleagues because the company refused to provide any consultation and did it while drivers were out doing their job.

"The big stick approach by coming in with no consultation or pre-warning is a 1950s tactic; we really want to sit down and talk to the management and see what’s going to be the best outcome for our workers so that they can retain their jobs and be competitive."

Scott Corporation Managing Director David Keane declined to make a comment on the claim.